97% of Customers Say Customer Service Is a Key Differentiator in Their Decisions

In a world where companies compete more and more on the basis of customer experience, understanding what those customers expect is essential. Microsoft surveyed 4 key global markets for the Global State of Multichannel Customer Service Report, which reveals the channels, habits, frustrations, and preferences of customers around the globe. The results are fascinating in that there are more commonalities than differences and that, online or off, customers still want to engage.

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Customer expectations are changing and growing just as rapidly as the technology customers use to engage. On average, 97 percent of global customers say customer service is a key differentiator in their decisions to use—or abandon—a company. Keeping customers satisfied is no small undertaking, though. Almost 60 percent of consumers said they have higher expectations for customer service now than they had a year ago.

Omni-channel service is essential

Customers engage with organisations using whatever channels they feel offer the most value and satisfaction for their time spent. It’s imperative, then, that they receive a seamless experience across every touch point, especially the first one. Increasingly, customers turn to the Internet. When asked how they reach out to organisations for customer service, customers revealed that they turn to the web for first contact.

Which channel do global customers prefer to use?

To consumers, being able to find a resolution to an issue or an answer to a question online is increasingly important, with 90 percent of worldwide customers expecting it. We asked customers if they have been able to solve their problems or answer their questions using online self-service. Many have, but the high percentage of users who couldn’t help themselves when they wanted to, reveals there’s a lot of room for improvement.

Social media goes a long way

Social media is not just a place where customers go to vent; in fact, our survey revealed that more customers use it to praise brands than to denounce them. (In the US, 50 percent of people surveyed have used social media to praise a brand’s customer service and only 38 percent have used it to complain.) In turn, brands are doing a better job in the space: 83 percent of the worldwide customers surveyed received a response when they engaged with a brand via social media.

Customers told us what the most frustrating aspects of customer service are:

It’s always enlightening to find out just how long customers are willing to wait on hold. Turns out consumers in the United States have the most stamina. A full 18 percent of US customers are willing to wait on hold for more than 10 minutes. Japanese customers, on the other hand, will tolerate a wait of up to 5 minutes, but not much longer—only 24 percent will wait 5 to 10 minutes, and only 9 percent will wait any longer than that. Here’s the full breakdown.

Ultimately, the Microsoft study is a powerful reminder that the customer is in control. Every interaction at point of contact could mean the difference between a fed-up customer and a loyal fan. Wherever business is done, in whichever corner of the world, customers not only deserve a company’s best efforts, they expect it.